Happy Diwali! Colourful images of the 2017 Hindu festival of lights

Hindus around the world are celebrating Diwali, the festival of lights. Also known as Deepavali and Tihar, Diwali is one of Hinduism's most important festivals, marking the homecoming of the god Lord Ram after vanquishing the demon king Ravana. The festival symbolises taking people from darkness to light in the victory of good over evil.

Hindus believe that on this auspicious day, Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, enters their homes and brings good luck and prosperity. Traditionally, lamps are lit in every nook and corner of the house. Devotees decorate their houses with flowers and decorative lights, and wear new clothes. Later in the evening, many cities are wreathed in smoke as millions of fireworks are lit. However, the sale of fireworks has been banned in New Delhi, in a move to curb air pollution.

IBTimes UK wishes its Hindu readers a happy Diwali and presents photos of colourful celebrations in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, South Africa and the UK.

A woman decorates her house in Mumbai with a rangoli on the eve of the Hindu festival of DiwaliDanish Siddiqui/ReutersA man puts lights up in an alley to celebrate Diwali in a slum in MumbaiDanish Siddiqui/ReutersCandles are lit to form symbols and messages at a stadium in Allahabad to celebrate Diwali, the Hindu festival of lightsJitendra Prakash/ReutersA vendor waits for customers at his lantern shop at a market in New DelhiAdnan Abidi/ReutersPeople light lamps in the shape of a peace symbol on the eve of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, in ChandigarhAjay Verma/ReutersA devotee lights oil lamps during the Diwali or Deepavali festival at a Hindu temple in Colombo, Sri LankaDinuka Liyanawatte/ReutersA man makes earthen lamps which are used to decorate temples and homes during the Hindu festival of Diwali, on a street in AjmerHimanshu Sharma/ReutersWidows light earthen lamps or 'diyas' during Diwali celebrations at Gopinath temple in VrindavanXavier Galiana/AFPVendors show lanterns to customers at a roadside market in MumbaiDanish Siddiqui/ReutersSri Lankan Hindu devotees offer prayers during Diwali at a temple in ColomboLakruwan Wanniarachchi/AFPPeople release sky lanterns to celebrate Diwali in SiliguriDiptendu Dutta/AFPA worker puts gunpowder inside a clay pot to make a firecracker for Diwali at a workshop in Champahati, south of KolkataDibyangshu Sarkar/AFPA woman picks marigold flowers used to make garlands and offer prayers, before selling them to the market in Kathmandu, for the Diwali festival, known in Nepal as TiharNavesh Chitrakar/ReutersVendors make garlands for Diwali at Ghazipur flower market on the outskirts of New DelhiNoemi Cassanelli/AFPDancers perform during Diwali celebrations in Trafalgar Square, LondonTolga Akmen/ReutersChildren wear illuminated shoes as the Diwali lights are switched on in Leicester, EnglandDarren Staples/ReutersClassical Indian dancers perform on stage during a Diwali festival in Durban, South AfricaRajesh Jantilal/AFP